Body Type and Fighting Style

[Jared L. Cass]

We've all got different body types and physical capabilities. Just as George Silver commented on the "Tall man and the man of mean stature," how does your body type effect your your fighting style? What techniques do you find yourself using the most? What stratagies do you find most useful?

To start things out, I've got the typical "wiry" body build. 5ft 10in tall at 140lbs. Being rather petite, I rely greatly on speed, mobility, and quick closing actions to defeat my opponents. Harrassing cuts/thrusts that allow me to stay at a greater range, until a closing action presents itself, are some of the techniques that work great for somebody my size. Once "inside," being able to quickly and effeciently get "outside," allows me to never be where the opponent expects. I've noticed that more physically powerful and less mobile opponents tend to hold there ground more often. When they fight me, if I keep "running around," often the less patient ones will suddendly try to charge me. It's at this moment that I slip inside their guard, cut them up, and run away to the next guy <img src="/forum/images/icons/cool.gif" alt="" /> Constant movement would describe my style. How would you describe yours?

It's my hope in starting this post, that we might all learn and come up with some new stratagies. Also, if it isn't being done already, to prompt more sparing against "un-like" body types. Every body type attacks and reacts in a slightly different manner. Learning how to take advantage of those differences, should benefit us all!

Jared L Cass, Wisconsin

[John_Clements]

Good question.
(But at 5'10", you're hardly "petitte").
Each build naturally has advantages and disadvantages, while not over generalizing, it's important to know what actions favor or disfavor each. But always adapt to the weapon and the circumstances as well as the opponent.

JC

[Shane Smith]

I'm a fairly tall guy at 6'3" and 180 pounds,so I find that the best method for me is to "fight tall". I prefer to use my superior reach to keep the shorter guys from penetrating and gaining the place and time. I am very comfortable voiding and countering as well as pre-emptively acting against an opponents grip or even the blade itself on occasion. <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />

[Jake_Norwood]

I'm 6'2", 220 pounds (thankfully more muscle than fat of late). I've got shoddy reflexes and I'm slow. So I rely on a lot of technique and a lot of voiding-counter cutting. I come to grips fairly often, and I love commanding the sword. My best defense against small wiry guys seems to be to out-reach them and use a lot of downward-cuts (in nach) against their attacks or them as I step out of their range (and stay in mine). I also have to watch my legs, as they're a big favorite target of faster, shorter folks (which is a lot of people).

[TimSheetz]

Hi, I am 5' 10" and about 195 pounds, most is 'hard' vs 'soft' weight .

I have pretty quick reflexes and am fairly fast. I vary approaches based on the individual, but use timed countercutting in one-vs-one and very aggressive offensive actions against the oponent at hand when multiple opponents are at hand. Setting aside while closing and "crashing" the opponent into confused reactions and capitalize on that moment.

I also use the running fight whenever possible.

When I have a physical (reach or mass) advantage I take full advantage of it. If I face a taller/larger individual I try to force their reaction and work the opening.

I think that is fairly accurate.

Tim

[Jared L. Cass]

Yes, I suppose I should clarify things a bit more. In any fight there will be uncountable variables: dissimular weapons, terrain, weather conditions, armor, no armor, ect. Just so we're all on basically the same page here, lets consider a general and very open-ended scenario: unarmored long sword vs. the same, on fairly level ground. Since the longsword seems to be the most studied weapon in the ARMA system, everybody that reads this thread should have something to say. Keep the replys coming! This is real interesting <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

Jared L. Cass, Wisconsin

[Randall Pleasant]

Well, now that we have heard from some of the lean &amp; mean I will provide a few words from the old &amp; slow. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smirk.gif" alt="" /> Since almost everyone I spar with is faster and in better shape than I am I find that I get a <u>lot</u> of mileage from thrusting. I also like to counter cut. I found that the only way to hang in there with the lean &amp; mean was to apply the techniques I learned from John, especially the techniques of Liechtenauer and Ringneck - using my weakness against their strength. One other thing, I also find I do better when I can mentally make myself think that it's real. Not quite sure how to say it, I try not to see a padded sword in my sparring partner's hands but rather a live sword - it gets the blood pumping a little harder. In conclusion, I do get my butt kicked a lot <img src="/forum/images/icons/frown.gif" alt="" /> but may the fun never end! <img src="/forum/images/icons/laugh.gif" alt="" />

[John_Clements]

Here's a radical thought I've entertained for awhile: I think too many of our members and associates are either unfraid or unabeel to effectively utlize their natural weight and strength out of inexperience of how to go about doing so safely in sparring or drilling. This is something that needs to be worked on. Too many fighters who would naturally use some of their mass and size in combat are instead relying on voiding and agile countering, when closing-in to overwhelm their opponent would more often be the better thing to do.
Something to consider.

JC

[Shane Smith]

I agree completely John.I think that's why Silver was so personally insulting towards fencers whom he felt relied upon their "jugglers tricks" to keep them alive in his Paradoxes of Defense. Perhaps that's why he says that a valiant man can defeat such a one as that with down-right blows...There is definitely a difference between being a "technique collector" and a competent Swordsman.

[Jared L. Cass]

What's been said really is true! It seems that the "easy" to defeat larger opponents are the ones trying to play "my game." Rather than come after me like a newly castrated bull, often they hold back so much of their potential power! As any light weight can attest to, a fast (or slow) and powerfull heavy weight is often, no matter how hard we try to maintain composure, some thing to be feared on a "gut" level. Sometimes (often), it seems that the whole eveloutionary process has been set back half a million years!
But, I also think that the reverse is true. If the lightweight is dilligent in studying wrestling/"inside" actions, there is no reason to avoid closing with a larger man (unless of course the big man is also a great wrestler, then such actions would lead to a very unpleasent place <img src="/forum/images/icons/crazy.gif" alt="" /> ). Also, for a heavy weight, it's often a big suprise to be tackled, closed in upon, thrown, ect. by a much smaller guy. They just don't think we've got it in us! <img src="/forum/images/icons/mad.gif" alt="" />
Learning to utilize to the best of our ability what nature provided for us, is what MA is all about. But often we need to break some molds to get where we want to be.

Jared L. Cass, Wisconsin

[kyle cook]

I'm 5' 7" tall and i find i can move faster and cut to the legs better at my height. When i fight a taller person, i find gut cuts and slices are more open.

[joelthompson1]

I suppose I'm one of the biggest guys fighting at 6'4" and 300 lbs. I'm also one of the fastest! He he he, NOT! So I like to try to make my opponent misjudge the range by shortening my guard a bit. If I'm in pflug, I'll raise my tip a bit. Or I'll lean back on my rear foot Fiore style, perhaps in a boar's tooth. Then I may move in and out taking very small steps trying to make my opponent move into my range when he thinks he is not yet there. That's when I'll strike. Or if he strikes first, my reach advantage can beat his entering move. This seems to work pretty well for me, so when I'm working on new techniques, I'm often thinking in this venue. If I'm faced with a really cagey opponent, I usually start to stalk the guy. I just assume a guard, usually pflug or tail, and just follow him. Not too aggresive, just careful movements. If he starts to circle, I will usually try to "cut off the ring" on him by side-stepping a bit. I'm also getting better at voiding and countering when my opponent strikes first. My intent for grappling is to learn more techniques where my advantage in leverage due to my size
can be used. I hope this sheds some light from the "big guy" point of view. Jared is also correct on the point about "tending to hold their ground". I'm not much on backing up, but I'm learning.

Joel Thompson
ARMA Virginia Beach

[Guest]

Hi, your question is an interesting one, I'm 1,60 m and 52 kg so 5 feet and 10 inches and 105 pounds (if LT. Col. Askins wrote good conversion tables). Some say I've better than average reflexes but I'm not sure of this, I do keep my eyes open... My mental attitude in sparring is that of thinking nothing, so that my mind is not busy and I can react in real time, I practice a lot on accuracy of the blows and this helps me with stop cuts and half thrust to the arm. My style is quite that of a lazy and not violent individual: I try to effect a disarm or inflict a wound that would make the opponent leave the weapon, I give the precedence to cuts because I think they're easier to hit with, commanding the sword? Only when getting an hand sliced is the only alternative to getting run trough. I try not to run away from my opponent and to be always near my targets. I prefer to keep a low profile so my opponent thinks I'm not that good and leaves me openings. Wrestling? Naaa I've the pommel to work with if it gets close (it would end a fight faster than the blade!). I pay particular attention to the terrain, understanding the terrain is sooo important to me. I like to comment actions after sparring to learn from what happened.
That's all folks
Carlo

[Guest]

Thanks Joel,

I shall take note of your tactics should we "incrosada" at the International Event. <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

I found you tall guys really have the advantage, as Silver pointed out, but my experience is limited to one handed swords (C&amp;T, spadroon, etc...) against the alike or long swords, I do not use a long myself. I found that the short guy has to be always ready to parry or, if possible, counterstrike, I like to use prehemptive attacks to the advanced target not to be always on the defensive.
If anyone has good advices to give to this short and unmuscular guy, I'm listening... <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />